The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-06-11
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
OLp SerTLHRs.
HON, SAMUEL X. LEWIS.

son OF his long resiuence IN 'hiS ioe''" "
country and his public services; having been
constantly and effectively identified with the
growth and prosperity of La Sale county
for many years; twice her senator at the
State Capitol and twice entrusted with the
RESPONSIBILITIES of her treasurership, and in
every public trust having been most faith
ful steward deserves the gratitude OF her
people and has it fully, together with the
warm personal friendship of every one with
whom he has come in contact lie belongs
TO family of old qnakers: friends who
fourished away back in the days of william
Penn. Here is what he has discovered of
his immediate ancestors: After informing us
that he was born Jan -, 1873, in Washing.
ton, Pa, and that his father, Jehu Lewis,
was born in London county, Va in mem
orandum made by himself in 1876 he says;
ANCESTRAL HISTORY.
Iiying the most of my life in the west, !
have known hut little of my ancestors. In
the year 1863 an elderly gentleman by the
name of Samuel Lewis, who is a distant rel
alive of mine, called upon me. He impaired
10 me much information in regard to my
family. He stayed but few days, and |
was sorry afterwards that had not made n
memorandum of what he told me. In 1879,
he dropped in again and received such
facts as were known to him of my family
lie (my visitor was born aud reared near
Philadelphia, knew much Of my ancestors,
and has the record for what he states lie
said: Henry Lewis Uhe lst emmigrated
from Wales. in Great Britain, in 1852. He
brought with him his father and son,
Henry the 2nd) An early history of Della
ware Co.. Pa, speaks Of this man as the
friend and correspondent Of VIM, Penn, the
eminent quaker philanthropist Of England,
who gave his name to the Keystone state,
Pennsylvania, and who about that time was
Frequently in Philadelphia, The same his
DRY mentions that he (IIenry Lewis lst) was
foreman of the first grand jury ever organ.
lied in Philadelphia. Henry Lewis (2dl
was married IN 1893. Another son, John,
was born in 1895. Another of his children,
Evan Lewis, was the head of the Philadel.
phia and Chester Co. branch Of the Lewis
family, comprising among them, Enoch
Lewis, q distinguished philanthropist and
mathematician, who died in 1857 also Joseph
J. Lewis, Enoch's son, who was President
Lincoln's commissioner Of internal revenue,
then and afterwards at the head of the legal
profession Of Pennsylvania. lie was also a
delegate from Pennsylvania to the Chicago
convention which nominated Lincoln, and
one of the committee who was sent to ap-
praise him officially Of his nomination. An.
other son was Edward Lewis, connected
with the Bloomington. H., Pantagrdph. An
other son Of said John Lewis was Samuel
Lewis. my visiting relatives father. and was
born in 1880, and lived a short time in Vir-
ginia, where my father, Jehu Lewis, was
born the youngest of large family, in l77o,
My grandfather, Samuel Lewis, moved to
Washington county, Pa, in about l7s0,
whe re | was born Jan. II, 1878. My father,
Jehu Lewis and family, moved to Putnam
Co., H., in 1888, and died there in 1850,
aged 70 years. My visitor informed me that
our ancestor, Henry Lewis lst, settled six
miles west of the city of Philadcl lhia on
property since known rs The Grange. now
one of the most beautiful and splendidly
ornamental places in Delaware county. ant
it at one time belonged to Gen. Geo. Is. Nc
Clellan's grandfather, Mr.. Brinton.'
PERSONAL ACCOUNT.
Samuel r. Lewis mother was Kache
Mills, daughter of Henry Mills, of Wash
ington, Pa. The result of her union will
Jehu Lewis was; John, who died when young
Mrs. Chase, Joseph, and Samuel H., wh'
were the only children living when the fam
lily came west, two others having died whit
mere infants. In 1888 Samuel II. was
somewhat ambitious lad aged Is years, and
being the eldest of the children, rightfull,
assumed the next in command, under hi
father in conducting their moving expedi
ton westward. While he had never rea,
dime novels and knew nothing of the swash
buckler, cow boy, semi-brigand Indian ex
terminator, the hero Of modern back wood
and wild prairie, mountain and canyon re
nance, and the beau ideal of the half bake,
latter day youths Imagination, yet he wa
not afraid of Indians or wild animals, an
felt himself man enough for any moderate
sized adventure, and probably could hay
met one with average courage mixed with
due allowance Of "skeer." Mr.. Jehu Levi
lived not very far from the Monongehel
river in those days, and it was not seriou
affair for him to pack such of his traps an
calsmities, US he needed for his new HON,
and slight expense to load them, togethe
with his family upon steam boat whic
foated down to the bread Ohio river; theme
q larger vessel bore them TO the mighty Nil
sissippi and up TO st. Louis. Here the
took q smaller pack ct and in few day
found themselves at Pekin, H., where the